Self-propelled railway car



Feb-25, 1930. J, L 1,748,125

SELF PROPELLED RAILWAY GAR Filed June 9, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 mm Ink 1 11 INVENTOR. 6M

r ATTO YS.

Feb. 25, 1930.

E. J. HALL SELF PROPELLED RAILWAY CAR Filed June 9. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 9: AT ORN S Feb. 25, l 930. H 1,748,125

SELF PROPELLED RAILWAY CAR Filed June 9 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 4m QL ATTOR EYS.

I Febo 25, 1930. H I 1,748,125

SELF PROPELLED RAILWAY CAR Filed June 9 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR.

w 41,4 ATTOR EYS.

6M 1 wage.

Feb. 25, 1930. E. LJQHALL 1$748,125

SELF PROPELLED RAILWAY CAR 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 9, 1926 IN VEN TOR.

iKa/M.

Patented F ab. 25 1930 -1io-N1TE STATES PATENT oFFrcs nnnnnr a5 HALL, or BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, AssreNon 'ro AMERICAN can AND I FOUNDRY SECURITIES conronn'rron, A CORPORATION or DELAWARE I sELr-rnorEnLnn R ILWAY CAB Application filed June 9, 1926. Serial No. 114,808.

This invention relates to self-propelled railway cars, and more particularly to a car wherein an internal combustion engine is employed to drive,, a generator for supplying current to electric motors wh'ch drive the car. The object of theinvention is to arrange the power plant so that it will not take up space available for passengers and cargo, and also to provide for complete control of the power plant from' a forward compartment where the motorman is stationed and to so arrange the controls that a number of cars may be coupled together in a train and all operated from one set'of controls. In the present invention I preferably make use of two internal combustion engines mountedv side by side be neath the frame of the car, one o erating in an right-hand direction and the ot er in a lefthand direction, and each engine being directly connected to a generator.

Each generator operates a separate motor, there being two motors, each'operatively connected with a different axle of the trucks. Thus, if one engine or generator fails, the other unit is not interfered with and will be capable of propelling the car.

The engines are-controlled from the motormans compartment forward of the car, by

air-operated throttles and the usual starting and frame with the power plant in position thereon;

a Fig. 3 showsa plan view in section of the forward portion of the car body;

' Fig. 4 shows a sectional view in elevation of a portion of'the frame from which the power plant is suspended;

F ig. '5 shows a sectional view taken on the line VV of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6. shows a sectional view taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 shows a plan view of the forward part of the frame with power plant in position thereon and the controls leading to the motormans compartment;

F i 8 shows a diagram of the air-control for t 1e governors, with certain parts in section;

Fig. 9 shows a longitudinal sectional .view of the coupling'between the engine and generator;

Fig. 10 shows a view partlyin section and partly in elevation,,of the coupling taken on the line X- -X of Fig. 9. g

The car in its present form includes a frame 10, carried on suitable trucks 11. An electric motor 9 is operatively connected to each axle of the front trucks. The body of the car is divided into apassenger-carrying space 12, cargo space 13, and motormans compartment 14. The power lant for generating electricity to supply t e motors includes two internal combustion en ines 15 arranged side by side beneath the frame of the car,'and each having its crank-shaft directly connected with a generator 16. One ofthese engines operates in a right-hand direction and the other in a lefthand direction, so as to overcome any tendency to tilt the car.

The mounting for the engines and generator is best shown in Fig. 4, andcomprises a rigid support at the rear and a pivotal support at the front. The rigid support includes a pair of angle plates 17 bolted to the generator housing and in turn bolted to a flanged plate 18 secured between cross-sills 19. To insulate the metallic plates from each other so as to reduce vibrations, I preferably arrange layers of felt 20 above and below the plate 18.

The edges of the felt are turned up, so as to ported upon the frame by brackets near the top and at each side. The lower end of the radiator is braced by means of links 26 pivotally connected to the engine housing. In practice a fan may be arranged behind each radiator and mounted directly on the front end of the crank-shaft 27 Also there is a. compressor 28 fixed upon each engine at the front and inner side thereof, and driven from the. crank-shaft at half engine speed. These compressors-supply air to tanks 29 for operating the brakes and for other purposes.

Each engine has its exhaust manifold 30 arranged at the outer side, and an exhaust pipe 31 leads upwardly inside of the body of the car to amuffler 32 arranged on the roof of the car. Each engine is preferably fitted with an electric startin motor, not shown, which is suitably controlled from the motormans compartment. Preferably there' will be two throttles for each engine, one controlled by a governor and the other controlled by a diaphragm 33 which is actuated byair through pi cs 34 connected with an air supply line 34* t rough a control valve 35, which valve is located in the motormans compartment. The valve 35 controls the speed of both engines, and either engine may be cut ofi' by means of valves 36 arranged in the pipes 34. The supply line 34 may receive its supply of air from the tank 29, and the admission of air to diaphragms 33 will be under control'of the valve mechanism 35..

A To enable a number of cars to be coupled together so that the valve 35 on the front car will control the engines on all cars, I provide an air line' 36 on each car, which connects with the valve mechanism 35 and pipes 34, through a branch 36. The line 36 has a flexible coupling 36 at each end for connection with a similar coupling on the adjacent car.- These couplings may be of the type used in air brake systems, and when coupled together provide a continuous air line from the frontcar to the rear, all under control of the valve mechanism 35 of the front car.

3 being normally opened; but it is closed when it is desiredto operate one ofthe enginesalone. Y Y

The coupling between the crank-shaft of each engine and the armature shaft of the generator is preferably in the form shown in Figs. 9 and 10, wherein the drive wheel 38 is 44is a flange 45 carrying a rin 40 has openings 42 at its top and bottom,

and a fan or blower 43 is bolted to the drive wheel and so arranged as to draw air in through the generator and blow it out through the openings 42. Fixed to the armature shaft gear 46. This ring gear meshes throughout its periphery with an internal toothed gear 47 formed on the fan 43 and carried by the drive wheel 38, thereby'forming a driving connection between the crank-shaft and the armature shaft. The end of the armature shaft extends into a bearing 48 formed in the drive wheel.

The fore oing coupling aflords the desired amount of cxibilitg between the crank shafts and the armature s aft, and in additionprovides means for cooling the generator.

The saving eflected in cargo and passenger space by arranging the engines and generators as shown, is considerable. Each engine and generator set is from ten to fifteen feet in length, and since there are two units of this character on eachcar, it will be seen that if they were placed above the frame, a large engine room would have to be provided. Furthermore, by having the power lant located below the frame, the entire bo y, from one end to the other, will be unobstructed, and passageways or corridors canbe'provided, so that when a number of the cars are coupled in, a train, the passengers and attendants can ass from. one car to the other.

In and bytlie present invention it becomes possible to operate and maintain a railway car with self-contained power plant in substantially the same manner as cars using a trolley system. The motorman need not be particularly skilled in the care and operation and repair of internal combustion engines.

The controls are all remote, and no more complicated than the controls used on electric cars. The engines, being below the car, are not readily accessible, and it is not likely that inexperienced motormen will tamper with them. Should one engine or unit fail, the other is sufiicient to drive the car to the nearest railway shop, where skilled repairmen are stationed, just as in railway practice.

'The unit control for both engines of acar and the interconnecting pipe 37 between the intake manifolds of adjacent engines, will insure substantial uniformity the speed of the engines and the current output of the generators. -However, even ifjthere should be some unevenness asbetween motors or generators, the factthat'the two generators or motors are not interconnected electrically will insure freedom of trouble such" as would be encountered where a number of generators are in the same circuit and have to be balanced.

Various changes in the construction and arrangement of the several parts herein shown and described may be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a self-propelled railway car, a power plant, including a pair of internal combustion engines, one operating in a right-hand direction and the other in a left-hand direction, arranged side by side beneath the frame of the car, a generator directly connected to the crank-shaft of each engine, said engines and generators being sus ended beneath the frame by means of a flexible connection at one end and a rigid connection at the other end.

2. In a self-propelled railwaycar, a frame, trucks for supporting the frame, a pair of internal combustion engines, each having a generator directly connected ,to its crank shaft, said engines and generators being suspended beneath the frame, and electric motors, each connected to one of the generators and mounted for driving different axles of the car trucks.

3. In a self-propelled railway car, a frame, a pair of internal combustion engines, each with a generator directly connected to its crank shaft, and flexible means for suspending said engines and generators beneath the frame. v

4. In a self-propelled railway car, a frame, an internal combustion engine, a generator directly connected to the crank case of the engine and both the generator and the engine being arranged beneath the frame, and suspension means for said engine including'a pivotal connection at one end and a rigidconnection at the other, said piLvotal connection permitting fore-and-aft movement.

5. In a self-propelled railway car, a frame, an internal combustion engine, a generator directly connected to the crank ,case of vthe engine and both the generator and the engine being arranged beneath the frame, and suspension means therefor comprising a pivotal connection at the front and a rigid connection at the rear, said rigid connection including insulating material to absorb vibrations and said pivotal connection permitting foreand-aft movement.

6. In a self-propelled railway car, a frame,

together in a train, an internal combustion engine on each car, a generator driven by each engine, an electric motor for driving each car and receiving its current from the generator thereon, fluid pressure means for controlling the throttle of each engine, a'c'ontrol for the fluid pressure means on each car,

and air line train couplings whereby the various fluid pressure controllers on the different cars may be actuated by a single fluid pressure control.

8. The combination of a plurality of selfpropelled railway'cars adapted to be coupled together in a train, an internal combustion engine on each car, an air-operated diaphragm controlling the throttle of each engine, a control valve on each car for controlling the air-operated diaphragm, and means whereby the air-operated diaphragms on all of the cars in the train may be placed under the influence of a single control valve.

9. In a self-propelled railway car, a power plant, including a pair of internal combustion engines arranged side by side beneath the frame of the car, a generator directly connected to the crank shaft of each engine, and means for suspending said engines and generators beneath the frame, comprising a flexible connection at one end and a rigid connec- \tion at the other end.

10. In a self-propelled railway car, a power plant including a pair of internal combustion .engines arranged beneath the car, a valved connection between the engines, a generator having operative connection with the crank shaft of each engine, and electric motors, each operatively connected to one of the generators and mounted for driving different axles of the car trucks.

ELBERT' J. -HALL.

a body thereon, an internal combustion engine arranged beneath the frame of the car, a pipe connected with the exhaust manifold of the engine leading upwardly inside of the body of the car, and a mufiler arranged on the roof of the car,

7. The combination of a plurality of selfpropelled railway cars adapted to be coupled 

